Operating means for washing apparatus



, E. E. LICKISS.v OPERATING MEANSi FOR WASHING APPARATUS. HAPPUCAUJON FILED SEPT. 7, 1'920.

' Patented May 31,1921.

WITNESS l .1N v12A/ TOR ATTORNEYS E. E. LICKISS. OPERATING MEANS FOR WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILEDA SEPT- 7, 1920. 1,379,830, Patented May 31, 1921.

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l e s se I ,as 29, 4Z 'sf WTTNESS 33 44 "NV NTOR *fw S my# W Ff, -5- @M/7% ATTORNEYS E. E ucmss, OPERATING MEANS FOR WASHING APPARATUS.

'APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7.1920.

Patented May 31, l1.921'.

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.'

WITNESS ATTORNEYS ERNEST nrrokiss, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AssierNoR or oNRfTHiRD To ROBERT KING- AND ONE-THIRD T0 JOI-IN B. SPANGLER,

BOTH OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

OPERATING MEANS FOR WASHING APPARATUS. v

l Original application filed January 5, 19720, Serial No. 349,489.

' tember, 1920. Serial No.V 408,530.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ERNnsT E. Lioiiiss, a

citizen of the. United States, residing` at Oakland,r in the county of Alameda and the following is a specification.

The present invention is a division of application Serial No. 349489, filed January 5,1920, and relates to what may be termed a permanent laundry installation wherein a washing container is mounted in a permanent tub installation and wherein there is 'associated with the permanent tub mounting Y the container, other tubs, either one or two in number, for receiving the laundried articles as removed from the washing container tub, either for rinsing or bluing.

The present invention has for its principal objects to provide a permanent laundry installation wherein a plurality of tubs are provided and are permanently associated together, and one of said tubs mounting a 4washing container. A further object is to provide a novel means for operating said container, whereby the same is rotated in one direction for a given number of revolutions; is thence permitted to come to a point of rest, and is then rotated in a reverse direction, thus alternate rotation and intervals of rest being performed in successive cycles. Afurther object is to provide in connection with said tubs a wringer permaf nently associated with the tubs and adapted for positioning in coperative relation between either of the tubs, and to incorporate in connectionwith said wringer a means common to all of the tubs for operating the VWith the above mentioned and other ob'-v tionwithin the scope of thejclaims may bel resorted to without departing from the spiritjor sacrificing any of the advantages of they invention.

'Io more fully comprehend the invention,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mayi, 1921.

Divided and this application mea' sep- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view ofthe washing cylinder operating means taken on Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the washing cylinder operating means taken on hline 3-3 of Fig. 2.

F ig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

.'Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view vtaken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2'.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts-, 1 indicates a n' suitable washing tub having permanently associated therewith the auxiliary tubs 2 and 3, said tubs being preferably of the commonly known enamel or soap-stone construction, and having open tops 4, and supported in any suitable manner, as by the legs 5. Associated with the tubs 1 and 2 are the permanent drain outlets 6, the out-v let of the tub 1 being controlled by a stopper 7 adapted to be moved to andjfrom operative position by a rod 8 connected therewith and extending through guides-to the open top of said tub, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Within opposite ends'of the tub 1 are positioned suitable alined bearings 9 in which Vare received thestub shafts 10 and 10 positioned at the opposite ends of asuitable cylinder 11 positioned within the tub 1 and rotatable therein.

Extending through the end wall of th tub A1 and having driving connection with the stub shaft v10 is a-suitable driven shaft 12 which eXtends'into and rotates within a casing 13 secured to the outerV surface of the end wall 0f the'tub, as illustratedV in Figs.

l and 4 of the drawings. The driven shaft 12 is preferably horizontally disposed, and

extending vertically into said casing 13 is av drive or power shaft`14, the ylowerend of which is driven by any suitable mechanism, preferably an electric motor 15, illus- Y trated Uas being secured to oneV ofthe supporting legs The drive shaft14 extends 'lies in the position,

prelerably vertically through one corner ofthe casing 13, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and carries a pinion gear 16 which intermeshes with an intermediate gear 17 rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the casing 13. rillhe gear 17 in turn engages a piniony gear 19 on the lower end of a vertically disposed countershaft 2O rotatably mounted in bearings 21 preferably diagonally disposed within the casing 13 from said shaft 14.

By referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be observed that the rotating of the shaft 14 in the direction of the arrow imparts a corresponding rotation to the countershaft 20. rlhe drive shaft 14 and countershaft 2O carry respectively the worm pinions 22 and 23, mounted to rotate therewith, preferably in a plane parallel with the driven shaft 12. Loosely mounted on opposite ends of the shaft 12, within the casing 13, are the spiral gears 24 and 25 which coperate respectively with the worm pinions 22 and 23, and the adjacent faces of the hubs of said spiral gears 24 and 25 are provided with the respective clutch faces 26 and 2'?V disposed in opposite directions, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

rlhe adjacent faces of the hubs of the respective worm-gears 24 and 25 normally lie in spaced relation, as in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawi grs, and between said adjacent hub faces is positioned a clutch dog.;` member 28 capable of sliding movement longitudinally of the shaft 12 on a key 29, which causes said clutch dog; to rotate with the shaft 12. rllhe clutch dop; or member 28 is provided, preferably in its center, with an annular groove 29', and at one end is provided with a clutch surface 30 for engaging the clutch face 23 of hub of the spiral gear 24, and at its opposite end is provided with a clutch face 31 for engagement with the clutch face 27 of the hub of the soiral gear 25, this con- Vstiniction beine' particularlyr illustrated in Fig'. 3 of the drawings.

lt will be apparent that the direction of rotation of the driven shaft 12 depends on the position of the clutch dog` 28 longitudinally of the shaft 12, that when the same shaft 12 will be driven in the direction indicated by the arrow associated with the shaft 12. kin Fig. 3, and when said clutch dog` lies intermediate the hubs of the spiral gears 24 and 25, no driving connection is had from either ofsaid spiral gears to the shaft. Therefore, no rotation is imparted to the shaft, and on the other hand, when the clutch dog is moved to a position reverse to that illustrated in Fig. 3, the shaft 12 is driven in a direction corresponding to the arrow on the hub of the spiral gear 24.

To reciprocate the clutch dogz 28 longituindicated in Fig. 3, the

dinally of the shaft 12 t0 rotate the shaft alternately in opposite directions, and to provide a point of rest between said rotative movements, l prefer to employ the following` mechanism.

Disposed parallel with the shaft 12, preferably above the same, is a suitable auxiliary shaft 32 extending` transversely of the casing 13 and rotatably mounted at its ends in bearings 33 in the end walls of the casing.

` leyed to rotate with the shaft 32 is a star wheel 34 the periphery of which is disposed adjacent the inner periphery of the spiral gear 24. Extending laterally from the inner face of the spiral gear 24 is a suitable pin 35 which is adapted, on each complete revolution of the spiral gear 24, either on the shaft 12 or with the shaft 12, to engage one of the teeth of the star wheel 34 and rotate the same a partial revolution, which in turn rotates the shaft 32 a partial revolution. T he star wheel 34 in its hub is provided with an annular groove 36 with which cooperates la pin 37 on the inner end of a lever 38, the outer end of which projects through an opening- 39 in the casing 13. rEhe lever is fulcrumed within its length at a point 40 and said lever provides a manual means for sliding said star wheel 34 longitudinally of the shaft 32 to move the teeth thereof outside the path of the pin 35, which permits the shaft 12 to remain at a point of rest at such time as the clutch doar 28 lies in a position with its clutch faces disengaged from the clutch faces of the respective worm gears 24 and 25.

To provide an automatic movement of the clutch dog 28 between the clutch faces of the spiral gears 24 and 25 to cause an altenate rotation of the shaft 12 in opposite directions, l mount on the auxiliary shaft 32 a memberj41 having a cam groove 42 in which is received a pin 43 upwardly projectingz,- from a pivotally mounted lever 44, the free end of which carries a pin 45 eX- tendinp; into the groove 29 of the clutch dog 28. rllhe rotation of the shaft 32 through the cam groove 42 causes a swingine; movement of the free end of the lever 44, which in turn transmits a reciprocating` movement to thel clutch dogl 28 longitudinally of the shaft 12, positioning the same alternately in engagement with the clutch faces of the respective worm gears 24 and 25. During` clutch faces, power is not transmitted to the shaft 12, permitting said shaft to come to a point of rest between its reverse directions of rotation.

lt will be apparent that a number of revolutions of the spiral gear 24 is required to make a complete revolution of the star wheel 34, and thus make a complete reciprocating; movement of the clutch dog 28 longitudiu nally of the shaft 12;

its movement between said The drive shaft 14 projects upwardly through the casing 13, and at a point approximately level with the upper end of the tub 1 has geared connection within a casing 46 with a shaft 47 extending longitudinally of the tubs 1, 2 and 3. The shaft 47 is adapted to impart operative movement to any suitable form of wringer oreXpressing mechanism 48 which is capable of'longitudinal movement on the shaft 47 from the position indicated in full lines-F ig. 1 to that indicated in dotted lines-F ig. l,

whereby said expressing mechanism is capable of positioning between the tubs 1 and 2 or between the tubs 2 and 3.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is l. A driving` device for washing apparatus including, a shaft, a pair of gears loosely mounted on said shaft in spaced relation, means for rotating said gears in opposite directions, means associated with said shaft between said gears to alternately clutch said gears in engagement with said shaft to cause said shaft to be rotated alternately in opposite directions, a cam associated with said clutch, means for operating the same, a star wheel associated with said cam, and a pin associated with one of said gears for operating said star wheel to cause Aa rotation of said cam to operate said clutch.

2. A driving device for washing apparatus including a shaft, a pair of gears loosely mounted on said shaft in spaced relation, means for rotating said gears in opposite directions, means associated with said shaft between said gears to valternately clutch said gears in engagement with said shaft to cause said shaft to be rotated alternately in opposite directions, a cam associated with said clutch means for operating the same, a star wheel associated with said cam, a pin associated with one ofsaid gears for operating said star wheel to cause a rotation of said cam to operate said clutch, and a lever associated with, said star wheel for moving the same outside the path of said pin.

wheel, said worms being in mesh ywith opp posite sides of said worm wheels, means for driving the worms continuously in one direction, a clutch splined to the driven shaft between the worm wheels for engagingv the same one at a time, and means for automatically moving the clutch into alternate engagement with the respective worm wheels. f

4. A driving device for washing apparatus including a horizontal driven shaft, a pair of worm wheels loosely mounted thereon, a pair of vertical shafts, a worm on each shaft, one cooperating with each worm wheel, an intergeared connection between said pair of vertical shafts whereby said shafts are caused to rotate in the same direction, a clutch member splined to the driven shaft between the worm wheels for engaging the respective worm wheels one at a time, and means associated with the clutch for automatically shifting the same for reversing the direction of rotation of said ydriven shaft.

5. A driving device for washing apparatus including a shaft, a pair of worm gears each loosely mounted on the shaft, a pair of intergeared worms, one engaging each worm gear for driving said gears in reverse directions, a clutch splined to said shaft between the gears and engageable alternately with said gears, a second shaft, a star wheel thereon, a clutch shifting` lever, an operating connection between the-second shaft and the lever, and a pin on one of said gears for engaging said star wheel for operating the clutch shifting lever to move said clutch into engagement with one of 4said gears and rfrom engagement with the other. p Y

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST E. LrcKrss. 

